Walking into Sri Kenanga, I was greeted by a handsome young man! Turns out, he is Justin, one of Sri Kenanga’s co-principal. Together with Madam Cheah, the founding principal and his mum (they are a mum-son team!), they run Sri Kenanga with a magical touch. Upon meeting Madam Cheah, I knew she is the kind of person who could light up a room just by being in it. With a warm and ready smile, Madam Cheah oozes kindness and it warms my heart to see the children just coming up to her and Justin for hugs and cuddles.
The Beginning
Madam Cheah established Sri Kenanga over 30 years ago. She sees her kindergarten not as a form of business or just a place that receives children but also as an outlet to give back to society in little ways. Madam Cheah told us that she had a great teacher when she was young. Once, she asked her teacher how she could repay her and her teacher answered: “Reach out and touch the children the way I touched you.”
And hence, Sri Kenanga, the kindergarten with a heart was born. What really makes this kindergarten stand out is their attitude towards the children and the community. Of course all the children who come are well cared for, but the difference is that they reach out to help with underprivileged children. Profits from the kindergarten are frequently donated to orphanages and/or needy individuals; children from homes are always invited to their bigger scale events.
And we believe, this kindness and compassion is being spilt onto the children at their kindergarten and this may translate to the children having more empathy towards the others too.
The Team
Madam Cheah has an Early Childhood Education degree and Justin has a double degree with one of it being a degree in Child Psychology. With these backgrounds, you can rest assured that your child is in very good, qualified hands. Though they are very hands-on in running the kindergarten and interacting/educating the children, Madam Cheah and Justin both stressed that nothing is possible with just the two of them. They have an excellent team of teachers who are committed to delivering high quality teaching. Many have been with them for years with one particular teacher having been with the kindergarten for almost 28 years! The teachers are highly qualified and many are trained in different areas including learning difficulties in children so this kindergarten is qualified too to educate children with special needs. The teachers attend regular supervision meetings and are consistently undergoing training to keep up with the latest developments in Early Childhood Care and Education.
The Curriculum
Madam Cheah and Justin believe in an integrated approach to child education and take into account the diversity of children from different families and cultures. However, in a nutshell, the 3 to 4 years old follow a more Montessori style which allow for more playtime, learning at their own pace and learning to make choices. The 5 and 6 years olds, on the other hand, follow the Waldorf method of education where self-reliance and self-confidence is built up within the child. They are also introduced to teamwork and more educational materials to ensure that they are well prepared for primary school. Subjects offered include English, Malay, Mandarin, Mathematics, Moral, Music and Movement and Physical Education.
And then, Madam Cheah got really excited when she told us about their Events Day. Once a month, there will be a special day like the Crazy Hair day or Pajamas day where students and teachers come to school with that theme in mind. She said it is always fun to break the monotony of the school routine and the children and teachers always enjoy it. At the end of the day, a closer bond is also forged between the children and their teachers.
A Day at the School
If a child acts up, they are brought to the principal’s room, so they do not make a fuss in class and the issue will be addressed privately. The school believes that a certain amount of leeway is needed so that the teachers can be an authority but still friends with the students. That line needs to be found and respect must be gained and understood. Else, Madam Cheah said, with no respect, you are just making noises.
Clean and nutritious food is prepared daily at the kindergartens’ kitchens and the menu rotates every 3 weeks. There is a wide variety of dishes on offer with all of them having good nutritional values.
Sri Kenanga has two branches in Klang. The Bayu Perdana branch is located at the corner lot of a row of terrace houses. The place is spacious, clean and cosy. Their outdoor play area just got a refurbishment and is now fitted with simulated grass. The Botanic branch is a three story shop lot that looks so vibrant and inviting. The place is bright with natural lighting and feels very roomy with lots of space to run around. Next year, this branch will expand and take up the first and second floors of the building next door to accommodate their ever-growing student population. At both branches, there are reading corners for each of the 3 main languages where students will come to the teacher in charge to read on a one to one basis.
Madam Cheah was once featured on Female magazine for her special coding system for safety in her school. They have a tracing system and call back feature that the school follows to ensure the safety of their children.
The Fine Details
This kindergarten, which is licensed and regulated by the Ministry of Education Malaysia, has a student to teacher ratio of 6:1 (3 years old), 15:1 (4 years old) and 16:1 (5 and 6 years old).
There is a morning session (8am-12pm) and an afternoon session (1.30pm-5.30pm) as well as a full day enrichment programme (8am-5.30pm). There are also holiday camps which offer public speaking, drama and choral speaking but these camps are only available to Tadika Sri Kenanga’s own students.
